25 Mar Jesus Calms Our Storms!
Read Matthew 8:23-27 (NLT)
Thought for the Day: Jesus is stronger than the storms in our lives!
Throughout my time working in the schools, I have sought to master the art of the ‘teacher voice’. If you think back to your own education, you may remember that the language used in a classroom falls into three categories: that which is ignored, that which relies on trying to get students’ attention, and the ‘teacher voice’. I will always think of my 4th Grade teacher, Mrs. McDonald, and her mastery of the “teacher voice”. When she spoke, everyone listened. She taught with the right combination of authority and respect. Now a teacher myself, I continually work on this skill. Someday, I hope to have even half the mastery of Mrs. McDonald.
Jesus is our ultimate example of the perfect combination of authority and respect. Jesus never worried about the approval of others. Instead, He showed genuine compassion and respect for everyone – even those forgotten by society. In terms of authority, it was Jesus who stood up in the boat and calmed a storm. While we don’t know if He had an actual “teacher voice”, Jesus’s command of a raging storm impressed the disciples so much that they remarked, “Who is this man? Even the winds and waves obey Him!”
It is reassuring to know that Jesus calmed the raging seas with His voice and now is the steady anchor for each of us. At times this world may look like a classroom filled with immature schoolchildren. At those times, life seems to make no sense.
When we face storms, we can remember that we follow Jesus. At those times, we don’t need to develop our own ‘teacher voice’. (In fact, most of us have found that we aren’t able to convince others of anything, anyway.) Instead, we can trust Christ and pray for others, knowing that God will work in their hearts. Now, let’s learn to be anchored through our faith. After all, Jesus calmed the sea, reassured His disciples, and stands ready to get us through everything that we face!
In Christ,
Pastor David (and Stan)
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